Structural elements for water craft



Nov. 5, 1963 L. R. OVERMYER 3,109,183

STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS FOR WATER CRAFT Filed July 30, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 F I G 2 INVENTOR.

LEWIS R. OVERMYER BY g g i 9 s ATTORNEYS 1963 L. R. OVERMYER 3,109,183

STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS FOR WATER CRAFT Filed July 30, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F I G 3 INVENTOR.

LEWIS R. OVERMYER ATTORNEYS L. R. OVERMYER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 4

INVENTOR.

LEWIS R. OVERMYER BY ATTORNEYS STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS FOR WATER CRAFT Nov. 5, 1963 Filed July 30, 1962 3,109,183 STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS FOR WATER CRAFT The present invention relates to water craft and more particularly to structural elements for constructing pontoon boats, rafts, platforms and similar water craft.

In recent years pontoon boats have become popular for recreational purposes, particularly on lakes, rivers and streams. The conventional type of pontoon boat consists of two elongated, hollow cylindrical pontoon members spaced laterally from one another and having a pointed or downwardly and rearwardly tapered forward end. A platform is secured along each of its sides to the upper side of the two members and is usually provided with a railing extending around the outside edge. These boats are run by an outboard motor placed between the pontoon members at the rear of the platform. Since the pontoon members are constructed of rolled steel of substantial lengths, either as a single piece or as sections welded together to form a rigid, one-piece pontoon member, pontoon boats are relatively expensive, difficult to fabricate and to transport initially after being built, and then later from one Water resont to another, and to store during the off-season months. Likewise, pontoon rafts are constructed in substantially the same manner and have the same inherent difficulties which detract from their usefulness and convenience. It is therefore one of the principal objects of the present invention to provide pontoon boats and rafts of the foregoing type having segmented pontoon members, the segments of which are secured together to form a continuous, rigid pontoon mem ber which will maintain its unitary structure as long as required and which can readily be disassembled into its segments for easy storing, handling and transporting.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a relatively simple, dependable pontoon boat and raft construction of the knock-down sectional type, which can be easily assembled and disassembled without the use of special tools or equipment, and without any special skills, and which can be varied in length from time to time to suit requirements.

Still another object of the invention is to provide relativcly simple, easily manipulated structural elements/for constructing pontoon boats, rafts and similar water craft from conventional oil drums.

A further object is to provide a structural element of the aforesaid type which readily fits onto the ends of oil drums and secures the drums rigidly together, to form pontoons of any desired length, and which is adapted to support stringers extending parallel with the pontoons for supporting a platfiorm or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a plurality of different fixtures for securing two or more drums together in a fixed relationship, the parts of said difierent fixtures being interchangeable and usable at various posi- .tions on the rims of the drums to clamp firmly onto the rims of the drums. 1

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a cutaway perspective view of a portion of a pontoon boat embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the pontoon boat shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged end view of a section of the pontoon boat, the section being taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

are sheet metal oil drums having a cylindrical 72 and 74 extending through member 40 FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of a structural element of the pontoon boat shown in the preceding figures;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical cross sectional view of the structural element shown in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view of another form of a structural element used in the construction of the pontoon boat shown in FIGURES 1 through 3;

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view of the structural element shown in FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 8 is a vertical cross sectional view through the structural element shown in FIGURES 6 and 7, the section being taken through FIGURE 6 and including features illustrating the manner in which the element is used.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, and to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 in particular, numeral 10 designates a pontoon boat consisting of -a plurality of drums 12, 14, 1-6 and 1-8, and a platform 20 mounted on said drums. Drums 12 and 14 are rigidly secured to one another by structural elements 22, 24 and 26, structural elements 22 and 24 being identical in construction, and structural element 26 being a modified form of the element, and drums 16 and 18 are rigidly secured by similar elements 22', 24' and 26', identical in construction to the respective elements 22, 2'4 and 26. The drums 12, 14, 16 and 18 portion 28, ends 39, intermediate rings 32 and 34 formed in the body 28, and annular flanges or beads 36 and 3-8 at opposite ends of the drum. The drums are empty and fully sealed to prevent seepage of water thereinto and preferably painted or otherwise coated to prevent them from corroding. While the foregoing drums are considered standard or conventional in construction, other types of drums may be used in combination with the present structural elements 22, 24 and 26, so long as flanges or beads of the type shown at numerals 36 and 38; are provided at the two ends.

The structural elements or fixtures 22 and 24, shown in detail in FIGURES 4 and 5, consist of two arcuateshaped members 40 and 42 secured together by bolts 44 and 46, extending through holes 48 and 50 in member 40, and threadedly received in holes 52 and 54 in member 42. Member 40 is provided with flanges 56 and 58 along each side, forming in effect a longitudinal groove 60 extending throughout the length of member 4% in the center portion thereof. The groove 60 is adapted to receive member 42 as bolts 44 and 46 are tightened. In order to provide reinforcement for each pontoon and to provide a firm structure on which to mount platform 26, two stringers 62 and 64 are positioned on each pontoon, extending throughout the length thereof. These stringers are of wood and are bolted by bolts 66 to lugs 68 on the structural element 22 or 24. Bolt 66 is threadedly received in hole 70 in lug 68, the lug being connected to the external surface of member 44) by screws and threadedly received in holes in the lug. The manner in which structural elements 22 and 24 are secured to the rims of drums positioned endato-end can be seen in FIGURE 2 and FIGURE 8; the latter figure, while illustrating a modified form of the fixtures, shows the'manner in which the flanges of the two drums are clamped between members Khalid 42 by bolts 44 and 45.

The modified form of structural elements shown in FIGURES 6, 7 and 8 and designated by numeral 26 consists of. two arcuate members and 82 held together by bolts 84 and 86, the bolts extending through holes 88 and 90 in member 80 and threadedly received in holes 92 and 93- in member 82. Member 80 is provided with two flanges-94 and 96 along each side, defining a groove 98 extending throughout the length of the memher. to members 40 and 42 of the structural elements shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, and are identical with the respective members with the exception of lug 68 and the screws 72 and 74 for retaining the lug on member ill. Structural element or fixture 26 is mounted on'the flanges of the drums for connecting the drums in end-to-end relationship in the same manner as structural elements 22 and 24, arcuate member 82 being placed on the internal side of flanges 36 and 38, and arcuate member 80 being placed on the external side of the two flanges, and bolts 84 and as extending through the two members and between the two flanges as illustrated in FIGURE 8. Thus, the two bolts are tightened, flanges 94 and 96 seat on the opposite edges of flanges 36 and 38, and members 80 and 82, are drawn together, thus firmly clamping and holding the flanges in fixed position, and consequently retaining the two adjacent drums rigidly in end-to-end relationship.

In constructing a pontoon boat using conventional oil drums and the present structural elements, a series of oil drums are laid in end-to-end relationship, the number depending upon the length of the boat desired, and the drums are clamped together by placing clamps 22 and 24 along the upper sides of the drums and clamp 2-6 at the bottom as illustrated in FIGURES l, 2 and 3. Strin ers 62 and 64 are then bolted to lugs 68, and platform 29 consisting of planks m2 is secured to stringers 62 and 6d, the planks thereof being nailed or otherwise secured to the stringers. A railing or any other suitable type of superstructure may be placed on platform 2%, and an outboard motor may be attached to one end of Members 8% and 82 correspond in size and shape the platform between the two pontoons thus formed.

Clamp 26 is shown in FIGURE 1, in that the cutaway boat section would normally contain additional drums secured to the two drums 12 and 16; however, if these two drums form one end of the boat, clamps .226 Would be omitted since they would serve no purpose in the 1 structure of the boat. 1 may be reinforced, if desired, by laterally extending members connected to stringers 62 and 6-4 of each pentoon section. A tapered or pointed end portion may The structure shown in FIGURE 7 be clamped to the forward end of each pontoon section, I

using the three clamps 22, 24- and 26 to secure the tapered or pointed section thereto. 1

While the present description has been directed primarily to the construction of a pontoon boat, the same or similar structure can be used equally as well 'to form rafts, diving platforms, floating w-harfs and the like, the length cat which can be varied to satisfy requirements. While only one specific embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail herein, various modifications and changes may be made to suit requirements.

I claim:

'1. For use with a cylindrical drum having an annular flange at each end protruding radially and axially therefrom: a structural element for retaining two of the aforesaid drums in end-to-end relation, comprising an elongated arcuate member having a flange along each side for embracing externally the flanges on adjacent ends of two drums in end-to-end relation, an elongated arcuate member of the same length as and narrower than said first mentioned member for seating against the internal side of the drum flanges, two bolts extending through holes in said first mentioned arcuate member and threadedly received in holes in said second mentioned arcuate member and connecting said arcuate members for clamping the drum flanges between said members and retaining said drums in fixed endato-end relationship, a lug on said first mentioned member having a flat upper surface for supporting a stringer, and screws extending through said first mentioned member for securing said lug to the external surface of said first mentioned member.

2. For use with a cylindrical drum having an annular flange at each end protruding radially and axially therefrom: a structural element for retaining two of the aforesaid drums in end-to-end relation, comprising an arcuate member having a flange along each side for embracing externally the flanges on adjacent ends of two drums in end-to-end relation, an arcuate member of the same length as and narrower than said first mentioned member for seating against the internal side of the drum flanges, a bolt extending through a hole in said first mentioned arcuate member and threadedly received in a hole in said second mentioned arcuate member and connecting said arcuate members for clamping the drum flanges between said members and retaining said drums 'in fixed end-toend relationship, a lag on said first mentioned member, and means for securing said lug to the external surface of said first mentioned member. i

3. In combination with two cylindrical drums each having an annular flange at each end protruding radially and axially therefrom: a structural element for retaining said drums in end-to-end relation, comprising an arcuate member having a flange along each side for embracing externally the flanges on adjacent endto-end relation, and arcuate member of lesser width than said first mentioned member for seating against the internal slide of the flanges, a bolt extending inwardly through holes in said arcuate members and connecting said arcuate members *for clamping the drum flanges between said members and retaining said drumsin fixed end-to-end relation, an arcuate member of lesser width ber, means for securing said lug to the external surface of said first mentioned member, a stringer on said lug, and a bolt for securing said stringer to said lug.

4. In combination with two cylindrical drums each having an annular flange at each end protruding radially and axially therefrom: a structural element for retaining said drums in end-to-end relation, comprising an arcuate member having a flange along each side :for embracing externally the flanges on adjacent ends of two drums in end-to-end relation, an elongated arcuate member of lesser width than said first mentioned member for seating against the internal side of the drum flanges, a bolt extending through a hole in said first mentioned arcuate member and threadedly received in a hole in said second mentioned arcuate member and connecting said arcuate members for clamping the drum flanges between said members and retaining said drums in fixed end-to-end relationship, a lug on said first mentioned member, means for securing said lug to the external surface of said first mentioned member, and a stringer mounted on the lug of said element.

5. For use with a cylindrical drum having an annular flange at each end protruding radially and axially therefrom: a structural element tor retaining two of the afore members and retaining said drums in fixed end-to-end relationship.

6. For use with a cylindrical drum having an annular flange at each end protruding radially and axially therefrom: a structural element for retaining two of the aforesaid drums in end-to-end relation, comprising an arcuate member having a flange along each side for embracing externally the flanges on adjacent ends of two drums in end-to-end relation, an arcuate member of lesser lwidth than said first mentioned member cEor seating against the internal side of the drum flanges, and a bolt extending through a hole in said first mentioned arcuate member and threadedly received in a hole in said second mentioned arcuate member for clamping said members on the flanges ends of two drums in an annular V flange at each end protruding radially and axially therefrom: a structural element for retaining two of the aforesaid drums in end-to-end relation, comprising an elongated member having a flange along each side for embracing externally the flanges on adjacent ends of two drums in endto'end relation, an elongated arcuate member of the same length as and narrower than said first mentioned member for seating against the internal side of the drum flanges, and a plurality of bolts extending through holes in said first mentioned arcuate member and threadedly received in holes said second mentioned arcuate member and connecting said members for clamping the drum flanges between said members and retaining said drums in fixed end-to-end relationship.

8. For use with a cylindrical drum having an annular flange at each end protuding radially and axially therefrom: a structural element for retaining two of the aforesaid drums in end-toend relation, comprising a member having a flange along each side for embracing externally the flanges on adjacent ends of two drums in end-to-end relation, an arcuate member of lesser width than said first mentioned member for seating against the internal side of the drum flanges, and a bolt extending through holes in said a-rcuate members for clamping the drum flanges between said members and retaining said dm'ms 10 in fixed end-to-end relationship.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,794,053 Badenoch Feb. 24, 1931 15 2,814,508 Seamark Nov. 26, 1957 3,004,268 Haas Oct. 17, 1961 

1. FOR USE WITH A CYLINDRICAL DRUM HAVING AN ANNULAR FLANGE AT EACH END PROTRUDING RADIALLY AND AXIALLY THEREFROM: A STRUCTURAL ELEMENT FOR RETAINING TWO OF THE AFORESAID DRUMS IN END-TO-END RELATION, COMPRISING AN ELONGATED ARCUATE MEMBER HAVING A FLANGE ALONG EACH SIDE FOR EMBRACING EXTERNALLY THE FLANGES ON ADJACENT ENDS OF TWO DRUMS IN END-TO-END RELATION, AN ELONGATED ARCUATE MEMBER OF THE SAME LENGTH AS AND NARROWER THAN SAID FIRST MENTIONED MEMBER FOR SEATING AGAINST THE INTERNAL SIDE OF THE DRUM FLANGES, TWO BOLTS EXTENDING THROUGH HOLES IN SAID FIRST MENTIONED ARCUATE MEMBER AND THREADEDLY RECEIVED IN HOLES IN SAID SECOND MENTIONED ARCUATE MEMBER AND CONNECTING SAID ARCUATE MEMBERS FOR CLAMPING THE DRUM FLANGES BETWEEN SAID MEMBERS AND RETAINING SAID DRUMS IN FIXED END-TO-END RELATIONSHIP, A LUG ON SAID FIRST MENTIONED MEMBER HAVING A FLAT UPPER SURFACE FOR SUPPORTING A STRINGER, AND SCREWS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID FIRST MENTIONED MEMBER FOR SECURING SAID LUG TO THE EXTERNAL SURFACE OF SAID FIRST MENTIONED MEMBER. 